Eating Clubs Announce the Formation of an Interclub Community Service Council

Princeton, NJ – February 4, 2015 – Kate Gardner ’16 (Tower Club) and Kevin Larkin ’16 (Colonial Club), the newly appointed Co-Chairs of the Community Service Interclub Council (CSICC), officially announce the formation of the CSICC, a new interclub council. The purpose of the CSICC is to foster and coordinate community service activities for all of Princeton University’s eating clubs.

Each of the Princeton eating clubs has one or more community service chairs who organize service projects for the members of their club. There are over 20 community service chairs from all eleven eating clubs who are members of the CSICC. The CSICC is now one of three interclub councils:

The Interclub Council (ICC), the Presidents of all of the eating clubs.

The Graduate Interclub Council (GICC), the Grad Board Chairs of all of the eating clubs.

The Community Service Interclub Council (CSICC), the Community Service Chairs of all of the eating clubs.

One of the primary roles of the CSICC will be to manage TruckFest, an interclub community service project that began last year. In its first year, TruckFest donated over $20,000 to “Send Hunger Packing”, a charity dedicated to fighting food insecurity in Mercer County. Planning for TruckFest 2015 has already begun with a goal of doubling the number of food trucks and doubling the amount donated to charity.

The University’s Pace Center for Civic Engagement is one of the sponsors of TruckFest. Representatives from the Pace Center and from the Princeton University Office of Community and Regional Affairs are advising the group in fostering community partner collaborations, managing campus services and resources, and serving as a liaison between the CSICC and the town of Princeton.

The CSICC and TruckFest evolved from a series of monthly community service dinners that began in the fall of 2012 organized by Lisa Schmucki ’74, Graduate Advisor to the ICC and GICC. The clubs take turns hosting the monthly dinners, and the club managers have provided complimentary meals and private rooms for the meetings. About the formation of the council, Lisa Schmucki commented, “We created a forum for community service chairs to gather on a regular basis to share ideas and expand the community service activities of the clubs. The leadership from last year’s co-founders of TruckFest, Justin Ziegler ’16 (Cap and Gown) and Austin Sanders ’14 (Cannon), was extraordinary. It is the first time the clubs worked together to host an interclub community service event.”

“We’re very excited to have a formalized relationship between community service chairs of the clubs as well,” Kate Gardner said. “Kevin and I think it’s a great way to continue to build strong inter-club ties, and encourage partnership and a love of service on campus. We’re already underway planning for TruckFest 2015, and are thrilled with the active role all of the eating clubs are taking!”